K2 Much as Predicted

Today was a bit like watching the edited highlight of a big sporting event when you know the score already.

So K2 has landed looking as predicted, priced much as expected and with a promise that the latent demand, built up since they stopped shipping, will be served first.

Has it ventured outside of the US – sadly no. Did it say anything about breaking out of the Amazon centric world that owns the content, exclusivily communicates with the devices and owns the DRM format- again as expected no.

The K2 may well excite many but this 'fortress Amazon' protectionist approach to the world could well backfire. After all, who seriously wants to be locked into a one way street when the mobile motorway running next to it offers so much.'Buy US' may resonate with many but it could drive those outside the US to look seriously at alternatives and once committed its hard to see these consumers returning to snap up a 'looky-likey' device that is closed to all others.

The Stephen King announcement is welcomed and we take our hats off to the pioneer who wrote Riding the Bullett what seems an age ago. But no matter how many celebrity endorsements are bought by Amazon, they aren't going to change things – its still an ugly duckling.